The Curosity Box
by Magnus McKay
Summary: Who knows what the box contains? Who knows whats waiting for me when I open it?
1. Chapter 1

My grandmother had a box.

It wasn't very special by the way of looks, just an old wooden box with rusted hinges and a broken lock.

But it's special, very special. Or so she said to me when I was younger and now, today, I have inherited it.

I have always wondered what was in this old box. She never opened it, but she showed me it several times during my youth.

It's sat before me right now, my fingers trembling over the latch. With a deep breath, I open it.

I'm surprised. Very surprised.

It's much more empty than I always imagined it to be. There's just an old key on a chain and a letter, addressed to me.

Very disappointing.

I open the letter and smile as I see my grandmothers handwriting.

_Hello my darling,_  
_So now you finally know what is in my box. Do you remember the old stories that I would tell you when you were younger? Of a man who took me on a journey through Time and Space?_

_This is the key to that wonderful old box. I always hoped that he would visit one last time before I passed, but he probably never will. So now the key is yours, and if you ever see that old blue box… thank him for me._

_Love you always,_  
_Grama_

I take the key out of the box by its chain, looking at it in the light from the window.

Its plain, no trademark or significant markings to distinguish why it is as special as she said.

I take it in my hand and frown a little.

Its warm to the touch, not an uncomfortable warmth, just right really. A friendly sort of warmth that I feel like I've know all my life or... that I've been waiting to know

I sigh and put the chain over my head, holding onto the key as it settles round my neck.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm lying in bed.

Where I should be after the long day I've had.

Weird stuff on the news again.

Thinking about it, there's been a lot of weird stuff going on lately. None of which has really been happening in Woking.

The world could be scheduled end tomorrow in a great big fiery ball of flame -four horsemen and all - and the milkmen of Woking still wouldn't be late for their early morning shift.

I openly laugh at that thought as I get comfortable.

There's a point.

Is that a milk float I can hear?

It's a weird noise alright.

Am I the only one who can hear that?

Jumping up from the bed, which I was sure I would regret if it was nothing, I dashed to the window to look into the street below as the noise stopped. Glancing around at the other houses, there's no twitch of curtains or lights turning on from being disturbed by this unusual sound.

I went to lean out of the window, get a closer look at the now silent street, when the door bell went.

Well, my head connected hard with the window and I swore rather loudly as I stepped back from the window, grabbing my dressing gown and fought to get into it.

I was rather red faced, embarrassed at hitting my head when I'd jumped and more than ready to give the milkman Jack-round-the-orchard, which would probably result in me telling him where to shove his milk.

Hair wild, face angry, I must have looked like an angry cat ready to spit and hiss at the man on the doorstep.

Okay, so not the milkman.

Definitely not the milkman

As my look of rage changed to a look of mild irritation, I hissed as the key I now always wore on its simple chain, warmed up against my skin.

Somehow, with out trying to remember his name or recall his face, I knew.

"Doctor."


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello! That's me!" The Doctor beamed, holding out his hand for me to shake fingers wiggling at me.

I look at it with wide eyes, blinking at it as if he might suddenly grab hold of me an kidnap me away to go on one of his mad adventures like he had to my Grama all those years ago.

I shook it.

He shook me with his boundless energy.

"May I say that you're looking… a bit young, Madeline." he said, frowning a little bit as he looked at me.

He thought I was Madeline.

My Grama.

We were startlingly similar.

Taking an odd instrument from his pocket he began to, well I suppose he was scanning me actually.

I knew that instrument.

His sonic screwdriver!

I took a moment to look at him while the screwdriver whirled and whistled away in his hand, telling him what he needed to know. What he wanted to know. What did he want to know?

I began to really look at the Doctor and realise my Grama's description was perfect. She was a good storyteller. Well, he was a_ bit_ taller than I'd ever imagined actually.

_And a bit bloody handsome! You never told me that, you old cow!_

From the tips of his Converse to the spikes of his hair he exuded a childish enthusiasm, like he was born for fun.

Or running.

He looked like a good runner and the way he bounced on the balls of his feet, it seemed like he was ready to race off in a heartbeat.

"My watch is right… you've not… gone in any big white machines and become a big monster have you?" he asked, frowning and shoving on a pair of rather geekish glasses to look at me.

At last I found my voice.

"I'm her granddaughter," I said in a pale voice, "Madeline… Grama passed away. About three weeks now."

"Ah…"

That was all he said, but it was so filled with sadness and sorrow, it said more than a condolence ever could.

I realised I was just stood there with my hand in his and I felt overwhelmed.

My Grama was dead.

And I was breaking it to the man who gave her such a zest for life.

Tears burst into my eyes.

"I think you need a cup of tea." the Doctor said in a soft tone, letting himself in and pulling me along to the kitchen in his wake.


	4. Chapter 4

I was sat in my grandmothers kitchen.

_My_ kitchen.

With the Doctor offering me _my_ tea and _my_ biscuits.

Which I accepted and sipped, looking at the man with teary eyes.

"So you're Nikki." the Doctor said.

He knew my name?

"Yeah. And you're the Doctor. Grama told me about you. She told me everything about you." I said, slightly breathless.

It was like my imaginary friend had come to life and was stood leaning against my kitchen counter eating _my_ Digestives and drinking _my_ Earl Grey. He'd even finished off the last of the milk and it wasn't as if he carried any money to replace it.

A little smile curled at the Doctors lip.

My smile matched his.

Then I remembered the key, still slightly too warm under round my neck. I scrabbled to pull it out from under my dressing gown, taking it off over my head and holding it out to him.

"This belongs to you, I think." I said, a little sadly.

He took it and flicked his eyes to mine, staring at me for a long moment through long lashes his dark hazel eyes searching my own green ones - inherited from my grandmother - for some sort of answer to why I was handing over the most precious thing I had.

"Do you really want me to take it?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

No. No I didn't.

"Her adventures are over. Seems right." I replied.

There was his little smile again, almost mischievous.

"But yours… its just beginning."

There was silence for a second after he spoke.

Then another.

"If you want it to…" he shrugged.

Was he asking me to travel with him? Or was he just making a statement? With the Doctor looking at me the way he was it was hard to tell.

"Let me finish my tea and I'll have a think." I whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

I think the Doctor thought I'd frozen when he had to come back to me along the pavement and guide me by the hand to the door of the TARDIS gently.

It was sat on the corner of my street, sandwiched between the phone box and the post box.

Long ago as a child, I would dream of it landing there.

Now it was, I could barely believe it and I had to just stand there and stare for just a moment to get my head round it.

Taking a deep breath, I let the Doctor open the door for me, pushing it wide.

My first step into the TARDIS echoed around the cavernous space, the soft light seeming to flutter at my presence. The engine made a funny grinding noise as I walked into the control room properly, making me jump, my heart hammering.

"She recognizes you!" the Doctor beamed, closing the door and sliding his coat off.

There was a hat stand that he could have hooked his coat on, but instead he walked right past it and threw it over the odd Y- shaped protuberance from the side of the interior that looked like it was made out of coral.

Typical man.

"She recognizes me?" I repeated, walking further into the huge room and looked up at the huge tube of light.

The TARDIS made the strange noise again and the Doctor grinned wildly.

"Oh yes! Well… she recognizes that you belong to Madeline's family. You gorgeous, clever girl."

I looked at the Doctor with a look of shock, then realised he was stroking the console of the TARDIS with a fond grin.

He was talking to her.

I gave a little laugh and reached out to touch the console myself. It was warm to the touch and if I really concentrated it almost seemed to pulse under my hand. Grama always did say that this thing was alive.

"She is gorgeous." I whispered.

The Doctor gave a wide grin and chuckled.

"Careful, she gets very full of herself when people compliment her. Ends up forgetting where she's going. Parks in stupid places. I think she gets flustered by it."

"I was only telling the truth."

The light in the middle of the console glowed brighter and the TARDIS made a little shivering, sighing noise.

"So! Where do you wanna go?" the Doctor asked with a big bright smile.

My mind went blank.

All of time and space and I had no bloody idea where I wanted to go.


End file.
